>>Problem is it doesn't. It slows down and dies out.
>
>If the source of the light is the same distance away, why would the light slow and die out?



Right now, the atoms in my fingers are made of electrons and nuclei.

The force that holds them to each other is Electromagnetism.

Light is also Electromagnetism

Let me ask you this.

The Universe gives us a force to hold atoms together.

Do you really think the Universe would also ensure that the Electromagnetic force not only causes interactions between local atoms, but between atoms trillions of light years apart?

It seems like the EM force has a job description, one that's pretty essential for life (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_principle).

Why it would have to have an infinite range?

The forces that hold nuclei together don't have a range past the nucleus.

Why doesn't the force that holds electrons in the atom have a similar range?

It does, we just haven't come to grips with it yet.